My Outside Time Has Changed a Bit

Now that the kids are back in school, I'm not able to get out in the dark with the Christmas lights at the park as easily so morning walks are a bit different.

Yesterday morning after dropping kids off at school, I went for a short walk around Riverview Park. The sun was shining nicely on the river so I of course had to go take a look (and a couple of pictures).

I got this picture then all of a sudden I saw a great blue heron flying along the river and into the trees farther downstream. How cool. I didn't even realize it was there but when I looked very closely and zoomed in a lot on my picture, I could see it toward the left side of the river. How fun.

I'm glad I chose that park and visited the river while I was there.

 

Since that day, January 6, was National Cuddle Up Day, Jet and I got to cuddle up to read together.

Since it was also National Bean Day, I made black beans and rice for dinner. Then I made cornbread to go with it. Then I threw together some fruits and vegetables and we had a balanced dinner. Woohoo.

 

This morning instead of going for a walk in a park, I decided to celebrate National Bobblehead Day and Old Rock Day, January 7, in a similar manner to how I used to celebrate. I used to go for drives and take pictures of Jr.'s bobblehead with mountains in the background because mountains are old rocks. Since we've had such a mild Winter so far, I just drove right up into the hills and went for a short walk on a hiking trail. The bobblehead went hiking with me.

I got distracted, of course, when I heard scritch-scratching in the brush. It was most likely a spotted towhee based on location and what I know of behavior. I heard one call later. I didn't bring binoculars or the good camera so I didn't get a look at it. That's okay. It was still fun celebrating actually being among the old rocks.

Have I mentioned that I live in a beautiful place? 

Catching Up January 2025 part 1

We toasted in the New Year at midnight and had New Year's Nachos.

January 2 was National Buffet Day. I made dinner Fend For Yourself that night.

We also finally got out to donate to the Giving Machine right before it closed for the season. We donated "piglets," "art classes," "five visits and meals to a senior," and "empower through play."

We did not get a good family picture like we did in 2022 but that's not the point so... who cares?

 

I got out for morning walks before school started up again.

January 4 National Spaghetti Day. We ate spaghetti. It was also National Trivia Day and Utah's Birthday so we did some Utah trivia. It was also Play Outside Day (which is every first Saturday of the month). A few of us went out to see barn owls (and some other birds but we went specifically for the owls). When we got home we warmed up with hot chocolate.

We celebrated National Bird Day, January 5, a day early with the owl search, although we did eat chicken for dinner on the 5th. We watched The Big Year on Saturday as a family.

 

January 6 was Sherlock Holmes' Birthday. Lucky celebrated by going to "elementary" school the first day back after Christmas Break. I watched a TV show with a Sherlock Holmes character.

It was also National Cuddle Up Day and National Bean Day so you better believe we cuddled up while eating chocolate (which comes from beans). 

 

January 7 was Old Rock Day and National Bobblehead Day so I got out to take pictures of Jr.'s bobblehead with mountains (old rocks). I haven't done that for a few years so it was fun to do it again.

 

January 8 was Elvis' Birthday. We watched Lilo and Stitch.

We started over with "A Season of Family Meal Plans," volume 1, by Jordan Page.

That's enough catch up for now.

Old Rock Day 2022

January 7 was Awesome Jr. Old Rock Day.

Let's try that again now that Jr. is no longer at the computer. Jeremy's comment when he saw what Jr. did, "Sometimes I take my son's humor for granite."

Let's try that again now that Jeremy is done making jokes.

January 7 was Old Rock Day. It was also National Bobblehead Day. Like last year, Jet and I went for a drive and took pictures of Jr.'s bobblehead (with permission) with mountains.

While we were out, we did a little birding.

 

I love that we went to different places than last year so we got different pictures and angles.

After school I told Nichole it was Old Rock Day.

Me: Mountains are old rocks.

Nichole: So are dinosaurs.

Me (yelling out): We should watch Jurassic Park.

Me (after a bit): The Beatles did music in the 60s and 70s so that was "old rock." We should watch "Yesterday."

For after school snack we ate chocolate rocks.

For dinner we did pizza and a movie. We started watching, "Journey to the Center of the Earth." Definitely an old rock movie.

Old Rock Day 2021

January 7 was Old Rock Day. It was also National Bobblehead Day. To celebrate, Jet and I went for a drive since the weather was beautiful that day. We invited Jr.'s bobblehead along (with permission from Jr.) and took pictures of it with old rocks- hills and mountains. Of course I got distracted by birds for a bit. It was a nice drive.

And... the moon is an old rock.

Old Elvis Day

January 7 was Old Rock Day.  The kids thought it would be fun to figure out what everything for dinner could be in terms of rocks then it kind of became what you'd find at the seashore.  I love their creativity.
Rolls- old rocks (Jr. said boulders), oranges and clementines- boulders, Red peppers slices- crab legs, carrots- swords (Jr. said chisels), cucumbers- wheels (Jr. said sand dollars, others agreed), apples- canoes (Jr. said arches), stuffing- sand, cottage cheese- pebbles, peaches- beaches, water-water

We also found a new yard bird in our backyard. A chukar.  It's been hanging out with the local covey of quail.  It was a pretty awesome yard bird.  I've only ever seen them before on Antelope Island so it's pretty cool to see them here.

January 8 was Elvis' birthday so I watched a Doctor Who episode that referenced Elvis.  Later Nichole and Jr. watched another Doctor Who episode that referenced Elvis.

Today a few of us got out birding at Farmington Bay. 

There were so many birds.  It was like a circus out there (appropriately, January 9 is the anniversary of the first modern circus). At one point we saw great blue herons, great egrets, bald eagles, and pelicans all together in the same small area.  Big birds.

Of course we had to go to a different section for different big birds- tundra swans.

We also saw little birds like song sparrows and American pipits.

Lucky did really well.  He enjoyed going into the wildlife education center and seeing the stuffed bald eagle.  It was a nice day.

Old Rock Day 2017

We now return to your regularly scheduled blog post. 
Old Rock Day today, January 7.  While I was menu planning a while back, I asked the kids what we should have for dinner for Old Rock Day.  Jr. suggested we have squid pups (what the kids now call squid dogs) but call them squid fossils.  Sure.  Jeremy picked up some chocolate rock candy at the store so we had some of that, too.

Simple celebrating or as Jeremy would say, "Almost... elementary."  Which goes along with Sherlock Holmes' birthday yesterday.